Jiang Cheng perfectly controlled the situation, and the students went inside to attend class. Sun Jiandong, looking apologetic, stood nearby.

“Comrade Sun, go inside and attend class.”

“Yes!”

Sun Jiandong dashed off, his mother’s eyes sparkling as she watched him go.

She even began to think how wonderful it would be if her son could marry Jiang Cheng!
But…
Forget it.

Even though he was her own son, she couldn’t lie to herself.

Her son simply wasn’t good enough for someone like Jiang Cheng.

In the blink of an eye, only He Dan, Old Wang, Sun Jiandong’s mother, and Jiang Cheng remained at the school gate.

“Jiang Cheng! Why do you always have to compete with me? Are you going to take Chengyuan away from me too?”

Jiang Cheng, who had been about to leave, stopped in her tracks and turned to look calmly at the distraught He Dan.

“He Dan, the Lin Chengyuan you like is nothing more than trash to me. To me, you and Lin Chengyuan are no different from the flowers, grass, or stones by the roadside. Don’t overestimate yourself.”

“Besides, do I need to compete with you?”

Jiang Cheng’s rhetorical question carried a tone of dismissal. She nodded to Sun Jiandong’s mother, then turned and playfully winked at Old Wang before running back to the classroom to attend class.

He Dan stood frozen, Jiang Cheng’s mocking words echoing in her ears: Do I need to compete with you?
He Dan bit her lip tightly, her fists clenched, her eyes filled with resentment. It was the humiliation of being trampled by someone she had always looked down on.

Sun Jiandong’s mother gave He Dan a scrutinizing look. She had seen many people like her before.

People with no real talent who refused to admit it, always trying to find flaws in those who were truly capable, as if that could prove their own superiority.

In short, they were foolish and unaware of their own weaknesses.

Sun Jiandong’s mother maintained her stern expression and walked over to Old Wang, hoping to glean some information.

“What does Jiang Cheng like?”

“I really don’t know. Jiang Cheng is always doing good deeds, helping her classmates, assisting the teachers, and caring for the principal. She never asks for anything in return.”

Old Wang spoke with utmost seriousness. “In fact, people are always trying to give her things, and she can’t even refuse them.”

In Old Wang’s words, Jiang Cheng was hardworking, helpful, caring, and united with her peers—the very embodiment of an ideal student.

While Old Wang was rambling on, He Dan turned and left the school, heading home.

She didn’t dare go to the classroom, nor did she dare face the scrutinizing gazes of so many people.

In the night school classroom, Jiang Cheng, as usual, kept her head down and stayed busy. The teacher at the podium lectured meticulously and earnestly.

Ten minutes later, He Dan still hadn’t returned. Jiang Cheng knew she wouldn’t come back.

If He Dan had been able to withstand the pressure and attend class, Jiang Cheng might have thought more highly of her.

After two classes, Jiang Cheng, as usual, carried her copper gong and headed home.

When she returned to the courtyard, Grandma Shen quietly pulled her into the house.

“What’s wrong?”

Jiang Cheng asked, and Grandma Shen closed the door softly before whispering, “I saw Lin Chengyuan’s mother go to Du Yun’s house. Du Yun’s mother-in-law sent her off with a smile. You know how Du Yun’s mother-in-law is—she wouldn’t smile like that unless she’d received something.”

Jiang Cheng quickly figured out what was going on.

She told Grandma Shen about what had happened at the school gate earlier that day.

“It’s probably He Dan stirring things up. The Lin family doesn’t want me to do better than them. They’re giving gifts to Du Yun’s mother-in-law, hoping to make me lose my temporary job. Without work, they’ll have an excuse to send me back to the countryside.”

Grandma Shen nodded but then asked, “But wait, didn’t they think we might take you in? Back then, the Lin family said you were just visiting for a while, but you ended up staying for three years. Couldn’t our Shen family keep you for seven or eight years?”

Jiang Cheng put down the copper gong and playfully blinked. “That’s why they’re foolish. Not only are they wasting their efforts, but they’re also losing out on the gifts they’re giving. Besides, Du Yun won’t agree to it.”

Grandma Shen didn’t know why Jiang Cheng was so confident, but she believed her.

“The Lin family is full of petty people. They’re the kind who’d fight over a pile of dung if they thought it was valuable. They’re so annoying!”

Grandma Shen glared at the door as if her gaze could pierce through it.

Jiang Cheng rubbed her neck and tilted her head. “When they find out tomorrow that their gifts were wasted, they’ll have a lot to argue about.”

Grandma Shen’s eyes lit up, and she leaned in closer. “I’ll stay home tomorrow and wait for the drama. I’ll tell you all about it when you get back.”

Jiang Cheng rested her chin on her hands and stared at Grandma Shen.

“How did I get so lucky to meet a Grandma Shen who’s so in tune with me? It must be fate.”

“You’re just teasing me!”

Grandma Shen got up and brought Jiang Cheng a bowl of noodles with a poached egg on top.

After eating her fill, Grandma Shen brought out a new set of clothes she had made.

A white, floral, short-sleeved shirt with a rounded collar and hemmed edges, paired with plain black pants.

“For me?”

Grandma Shen nodded and unfolded the clothes. “Shen Xing and Shen Yue provided the fabric coupons, you provided the money, and I provided the labor.”

Jiang Cheng immediately went to her room to change and came out to show off the new outfit to Grandma Shen.

“It looks so good, and it’s so comfortable! I can’t even feel the seams. Grandma Shen, how are you so amazing?”

Jiang Cheng definitely provided Grandma Shen with plenty of emotional satisfaction.

After showing off the clothes, Jiang Cheng and Grandma Shen both returned to their rooms.

Jiang Cheng didn’t dwell on the Lin family’s schemes. Besides, the human traffickers’ case was nearing its conclusion, and this time, Lin Chengyuan wouldn’t be getting that promotion.

As for He Dan, the night school would no longer be her path to advancement.

The Lin family’s internal conflicts would erupt within three months, maybe even as soon as one month.

With everyone in that family so selfish, their infighting would be quite a spectacle.

Jiang Cheng didn’t waste any more time and continued her studies. The two languages she hadn’t fully mastered were gradually becoming more familiar.

Once she mastered these two, Jiang Cheng planned to learn one or two more.

If she was going to do something, she was going to do it to the best of her ability.

The next day at four in the morning, Jiang Cheng got up early and went to study with Teacher Xu.

Jiang Cheng was perhaps the most worry-free student.

All Teacher Xu needed to do was teach her the pronunciation, phonetic symbols, and some basic knowledge. Beyond that, he didn’t need to do anything else.

Jiang Cheng’s learning speed once again made Teacher Xu’s heart itch.

If he had a disciple like her, wouldn’t he be able to show off as much as he wanted when he returned to Beijing?

At 7:30, the lesson ended. Teacher Xu glanced at Jiang Cheng as she packed her things, trying to figure out how to bring up a certain topic.

Jiang Cheng was in a real hurry. Her days were practically measured in seconds.

“Jiang Cheng, my time here is limited. You probably won’t be able to finish learning everything, and it’s not convenient for me to keep coming back.”

Teacher Xu lowered his head, his eyes darting toward Jiang Cheng. Having laid the groundwork, he was about to bring up the idea of taking her as his disciple.

“If…”

Jiang Cheng, who was packing her bag, turned her head and said understandingly, “Teacher Xu, you don’t need to say anything. I understand.”

Teacher Xu: I haven’t even said anything yet. What do you understand?

“I shouldn’t hold back my learning ability. I shouldn’t worry about tiring you out and try to learn less.”

“Don’t worry, starting tomorrow, I’ll give it my all and strive to complete my studies before you leave.”

Teacher Xu: “…”